The judge hearing Julian Assange's application broke new ground today by letting reporters use Twitter and other electronic means to update the outside world on developments in court.

Usually courts in England and Wales frown upon journalists using electronic devices in hearings. But senior district judge Howard Riddle decided to relax the rules, officials at City of Westminster magistrates court confirmed, just before the hearing began. Some journalists tweeted, others texted and emailed developments.

Without permission, such communications could amount to contempt of court. For instance, the use of phones is banned, though some reporters have developed a tactic of concealing a phone under a notebook while texting developments in court back to their newsrooms.

The rules governing courts in England and Wales are very rigid, and vary from court to court. Visual sketches of court proceedings require the artist to leave the room, and rely on their memory, before they can put pen to paper.

Media interest in today's proceedings was far in excess of what court officials were expecting. They not only allowed people to stand, but two reporters were allowed to sit in the witness box, though they were asked to move when people gave evidence in support of Assange.